From this list i will go with Melechesh, in the second place its between Falkenbach and Orphaned Land, dude where is Nile!?

Written by MetalSpider on 15.01.2011 at 01:11

Windir gets my vote, even though I really like Falkenbach as well!

And I liked Windir before I even knew who Valfar was and that he died lol.

Same, imo the most unique while still retaining exellent metal qualities instead of getting lost trying to be creative. Melechesh in 2nd for me.

Ok i know that Bathory is somehow viking black metal but i think that as far as the roots bands list goes they should be included too...
I mean look at the Hammerheart....that is really first viking/folk album

Written by Carl Berg on 04.07.2010 at 17:09

The mighty Windir of course!

Orphaned Land is a close second.

I think I choose Amorphis from the list. Skyclad was the first folk metal band, but actually I have never heard any band mention them as an influence. I have heard some finnish band name Amorphis as an influence. Probably Ulver deserves to be on the poll too, for influencing bands like Agalloch. Otherwise I think a band like Bathory had influenced most bands in the genre, since many bands combine viking and folk metal influences. I also think a traditional metal bands like Iron Maiden has had a big influence on the genre. Their melodies do sound quite similar to folk music and I think they were influenced by it.

You know, I've had this feeling I've lost interest in folk metal, that it's way too cheesy and stuck in its conventions. And to be sure, I haven't heard many new folk metal albums I've enjoyed in ages. But looking at this list, I realize I like many of these artists a lot.

The Middle Kingdom is one of my favorite folk (metal) albums, but the rest of Cruachan's work is pretty mediocre. Skyclad released some very strong stuff and they sound like no one else, but their discography suffers from similar inconsistency. The real contest is between Windir, Falkenbach and Primordial. Windir are awesome at what they do. I love Falkenbach when they're clean and mellow, but the melodic black influences aren't that interesting. I'll probably vote Primordial, because of their uniqueness, consistency, and invoking a feeling of times past without resorting to gimmicks.

Yes, a completely subjective, gut-feeing vote. I don't think there's any point in debating originality or influence, let alone talent, without any real data to rely on.

Had to choose primordial .. unbelieveable sound

Windir by all means...and "Fagning" is the best song ever!

Written by Ellrohir on 20.08.2012 at 19:01

Windir by all means...and "Fagning" is the best song ever!

I agree. Windir is best band ever for me. Fagning is so great song... but I dont understand what they sing, if anyone knows the lyrics of english translation no hesitate let me know...

Written by Angelic Storm on 14.01.2011 at 12:11

Couldn't agree more. No matter what anyone thinks of them, they were the true pioneers of the genre. Anyone who denies that, doesnt know their folk metal. Id give them the talent and originality prize as well. Originality, well... they quite obviously were, seeing as they did folk metal before anyone else. So when they started, it was totally original and a very fresh sound. Might be hard to believe now, with the tons of folk metal bands around, but back then, they were unique. Talent, yep, absolutely. Primordial are also a hugely talented band as well, but Id also give that to Skyclad. As Marcel said, they started off as a thrash/folk hybrid, and that is actually quite a rare thing in the folk metal scene now. The first album contained a lot of thrash, although for 2 songs, the thrash sound was totally stripped away. "The Widdershins Jig" is undoubtedly the first real folk metal song, At least to the extent of the style that many of the folk metal bands that followed started playing. And the folk ballad "Moongleam And Meadowsweet". Hugely talented, and true innovators. I have to go with Skyclad in this poll! xD

I think quite a lot of the folk metal bands that debuted in mid 90's started already in 89-90, before Skyclad. I haven't heard how they sounded back then, perhaps they turned to a more folkish style later. And as you say, it's quite rare that bands play a folk/thrash hybrid, so I'm not sure how many of the later bands that really were influenced by Skyclad. Most folk metal bands mix it with black metal, and I guess more bands were influenced by Bathory than Skyclad, but folk metal isn't my genre and I could be wrong. Of the choices I voted for Amorphis, although not really folk metal, they started the finnish scene which is the biggest. Of course Skyclad have been influential too. Out of the other bands, I'm not sure how influential any specific band have been. There are so many different bands in the genre that have so much different sound and influences.